In the realm of digital accessibility, there’s no single solution or technique that will magically convince organizations to invest in these best practices. In order to sell accessibility effectively, advocates and salespeople will need to adopt a more nuanced approach. In this blog post, we will explore why using a one-size-fits-all strategy to sell accessibility falls short, how to align core sales techniques with common accessibility offerings, and how to develop a flexible sales methodology that increases the likelihood of stakeholder buy-in.
Whether you are an internal advocate or a salesperson at a web agency, these techniques can foster genuine alignment between common organizational needs and accessibility best practices.
Why There Isn’t “One” Way to Sell Accessibility
It is inherently complex to sell accessibility because every organization is unique, with distinct goals, challenges, knowledge, and requirements. The diverse range of accessibility services and products, from website audits and user testing, to automated scanning solutions and training programs, means that what works for one organization may not be suitable for another. Or, as is often the case, the organization will actually require a combination or succession of different accessibility solutions to achieve their objectives.
Organizations also vary widely in their understanding of accessibility best practices. Some may have a robust knowledge of accessibility standards, while others may be completely unfamiliar with the concept. This variation significantly influences how accessibility should be discussed and framed during sales conversations.
This is why a singular sales approach is insufficient. Instead, it is crucial to tailor your sales strategy to each organization and the type of offer(s) you anticipate making, ensuring that the proposed solutions are relevant and effective in the eyes of the stakeholders (i.e. they can not only make sense to you). Without a customized approach, organizations may struggle to see how accessibility directly supports their objectives, resulting in disengagement and lack of commitment to accessibility initiatives.
Match Sales Techniques to Common Accessibility Offers
In any new sales interaction, it is crucial to tailor your approach to the specific reasons the organization reached out. As the conversation deepens, your approach may change. What you want to avoid is falling out of alignment with the type of interaction someone initially expects to have.
For example, if the organization expects to be discussing something very transactional in nature (e.g. a basic report, or a standardized training), do not immediately launch into asking them probing and provocative questions about their organizational priorities.
Start where they expect to start, then pivot as-needed.
Transactional Selling
Transactional selling focuses on making quick, straightforward sales by emphasizing the immediate exchange of goods or services for payment. Accessibility offerings that are more transactional in nature include:
- Standardized training video on how to write accessible content
- Self-service tool or report on accessibility status
Value Based Selling
Value-based selling is focused on gathering surface-level goals and requirements, and then providing a tailored solution that addresses them. Accessibility offerings that are more value-based in nature include:
- Accessibility audits, testing, or monitoring
- Implementing a series of accessibility fixes
Consultative Selling
Consultative selling involves acting as an advisor and deeply understanding not only the surface-level goals and requirements, but why those are a priority and what impact they create both for the organization and for individual stakeholders. This technique, along with provocative selling, tends to result in highly custom solutions that don’t fit neatly into any one category.
Provocative Selling
Provocative selling challenges the stakeholder’s current thinking and practices, and focuses on introducing new priorities and objectives that were not previously considered. This technique, along with consultative selling, tends to result in highly custom solutions that don’t fit neatly into any one category.
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Creating a Dynamic Sales Approach
Flexible Sets of Questions
Having predefined sets of questions and talking points tailored to each type of offer (whether you want to sell accessibility or something else) is crucial for guiding effective sales conversations. Having these materials prepared ensures that you can clearly articulate the value and specifics of your solutions, and demonstrate a deep understanding of stakeholder needs (where appropriate).
As the conversation evolves, the ability to pivot between different sets of questions and talking points allows you to adapt and steer the discussion towards the most relevant and impactful offerings. This flexibility helps build a stronger, more personalized connection with stakeholders, ultimately increasing the likelihood of getting to that “Yes!” at the end of the interaction.
It’s important to note that with such a flexible sales system, the ability to listen, respond, and pivot effectively becomes essential.
Using “Why” to Pivot and to Sell Accessibility
Asking “why” in sales conversations allows you to go beyond surface-level inquiries and uncovers the underlying motivations, challenges, and goals of the stakeholder. When asked to explain why something is a priority, stakeholders will give clues and context that can ultimately lead to deeper conversations.
This deeper level of understanding allows for more meaningful discussions that lead to mutually beneficial outcomes. Probing with “why” questions also demonstrates a genuine interest in the customer’s success, fostering a stronger relationship and paving the way for long-term partnerships built on trust and collaboration.
For example, imagine that a prospective customer reaches out for a self-service accessibility report that provides very basic information. This is a transactional product that can’t be customized. When they are asked “why” they need the report, they end up sharing that they received a demand letter from a law firm because their website was inaccessible, and they’ve been given 90 days to comply with the demand. With this new information, the conversation can now be steered towards a better offering that will align much more closely with their objectives. The salesperson can pivot towards a more value-based offering, like an accessibility audit and remediation package.
Aligning Accessibility with Common Pain Points
Often, stakeholders will not ask about accessibility directly. This is why the ability to recognize how accessibility intersects with various common organizational challenges is an undervalued and underappreciated skill. By bridging these connections, salespeople and internal advocates alike can effectively communicate the value of accessibility, but do so in the context of broader business objectives.
Advocates for accessibility often experience frustration when they perceive that the importance and value of accessibility are overlooked or merely paid lip service to within organizations. Building this alignment not only yields better results for individuals with disabilities but also promotes a culture of inclusivity and equity within the organization, ultimately benefiting everyone involved.
The following are four of the most common pain points that accessibility can help resolve as part of a holistic solution.
Quality Deliverables
Accessibility significantly impacts the quality because of its singular focus in ensuring that information and functionality can be accessed and used by 100% of users. Most stakeholders will agree that they want to maximize the utility of the solutions they build and ensure the greatest impact possible.
Content Reach & Discoverability
Accessible content is more easily indexed and ranked in search engines, because of close alignment between SEO best practice and accessibility standards. Additionally, universal design enhances on-site interactions by making navigation and content consumption seamless for all users, ultimately increasing engagement and retention.
Living Up to DEI Objectives
Organizations with robust diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies that have inaccessible websites are fundamentally failing in their mission by excluding individuals with disabilities from accessing vital information and services. Pointing this out can be a powerful way to encourage organizations to take steps towards becoming accessible.
Legal Compliance and Risk Mitigation
Accessibility serves as a critical component of any legal compliance and risk mitigation strategy, as failing to meet accessibility standards can result in lawsuits, fines, and damage to reputation. The significant regulatory changes coming in June 2025 in the European Union, and in the United States, the US DOJ updates to ADA Title II, cement that the importance of accessibility as a legal requirement is expanding, not shrinking.
Putting it Together
Sales professionals and advocates who embrace a more dynamic process of aligning stakeholder requirements with accessibility best practices are poised for greater success in persuading organizations to prioritize accessibility. By understanding the diverse needs of stakeholders and effectively demonstrating how accessibility contributes to broader organizational objectives as part of a holistic solution, these individuals can drive meaningful change.
In doing so, they not only ensure that accessibility receives more focus within organizations but also pave the way for a more inclusive and equitable digital landscape for all individuals.
